


Not That Big

by hepcatliz



Category: Kingsman (Movies)
Genre: Eggsy's adorable muscle, Harry's a landscaper/small business owner, M/M, Merlin's an architect, the conservatory is not that big
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-26
Updated: 2018-03-26
Packaged: 2019-04-08 08:59:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,703
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14101917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hepcatliz/pseuds/hepcatliz
Summary: “I don’t believe you.”Merlin sighed, lifting his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose.  “Come off it James, do you know someone or not?”“You can’t just expect me to go along with this.  It’s been what, ten years since you bought the property?”“Twelve.”“A dozen years sitting on that parcel of land and you expect me to believe you’re finally building?  Well, colour me impressed.  Figured out what to do with the monstrosity then?”Merlin bristled, tucking the phone to his shoulder so he could pick at his cuffs.  “The conservatory is not that big.”-----In which Merlin finally decides to build himself a home, Harry restores the conservatory, and they fall in love.





	Not That Big

**Author's Note:**

> self-beta'd, please let me know of any glaring errors! My knowledge of self-building a home is completely reliant on watching way too many episodes of "Grand Designs", so you know it's *handwavy* at best.

“I don’t believe you.”

Merlin sighed, lifting his glasses to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Come off it James, do you know someone or not?”

“You can’t just expect me to go along with this. It’s been what, ten years since you bought the property?”

“Twelve.”

“A dozen years sitting on that parcel of land and you expect me to believe you’re finally building?”

Merlin snorted a laugh, leaning back in his chair and putting his glasses to rights. “We’ve worked together a long time, you know how particular—”

“Picky.”

“Fine. How _exacting_ I am for my client’s homes. Can you really expect me to be any less exacting”—James snorts—”for my own home?”

“Well, colour me impressed. Figured out what to do with the monstrosity then?”

Merlin bristled, tucking the phone to his shoulder so he could pick at his cuffs. “The conservatory is not _that_ big.”

“It’s fucking Kew Gardens!”

“Oh, is that Merlin?”

“I hate when you put me on speakerphone,” Merlin grumbled. “Percy, will you tell your partner that the conservatory is not that big?”

Percival laughed, “I’ll do what I can, but you know how he is.”

Merlin grinned when he heard a grunt, either a jab to James’ ribs or a foot to a shin. “Fine then, help me with something else. It’s got to be _right_ , you know, the conservatory. None of the gardeners slash arborists slash landscape architects I’ve met so far _get_ that.”

Percival hummed, Merlin picturing him tapping a finger against his chin in thought. “While I won’t be offended you’ve chosen not to employ Kingsman as your general contractor—”

“Picky,” James grunted over a fake cough.

Merlin heard another grunt before Percival continued. “I can think of someone who might fit the bill. He’s been around nearly as long as we have. Good man, has an eye for restoration.”

“So said half the companies I met with,” Merlin groused. 

“You mean Harry,” James asked, “from Hart & Son?”

“The one,” Percival agreed.

“As much as it pains me to admit it, Percival’s right. A small company, likely why they never pinged your radar, but he should do very well for you.”

Merlin frowned. “Send his info along. If you both agree, at the very least I can meet with him”

* * *

Merlin stood at the end of the drive and checked his watch for the third time. Frowning, he pulled out his phone, checking the email from eggsy@hartandson.co.uk—Merlin definitely questioned James’ recommendation when he read that address—and confirmed he had the right time.

Hart was definitely late.

Merlin was tucking his phone away when he heard wheels crunching on the gravel drive. He looked up as a white van rolled to a stop, a small logo reading “Hart & Son” on the door.

Merlin’s frown disappeared as a tall, dark haired man stepped from the van, impeccably dressed in a grey pinstripe suit. The man paused to button his jacket before striding towards Merlin.

“Harry Hart, Hart & Son. Dreadfully sorry I’m late.”

Merlin blinked, the only outward expression of his brain shorting out. As Harry stepped from the van Merlin couldn’t help as his eyes dragged from shiny oxfords up long—fucking long—legs, to a trim waist accented by a ridiculous pink waistcoat.

“Only a few minutes,” Merlin said, shaking Harry’s hand. “Hamish Campbell, pleasure to meet you.”

“You’re too kind, Mr. Campbell.”

“Merlin, please.”

Harry smiled, dimples appearing on his cheeks. “Merlin then. James tells me you’ve got a lovely conservatory and it looks like you’ve got a head start on the house.”

Merlin grinned, turning to survey the work going on behind them. “Aye, a good start. Let me show you what I’ve got in mind.”

-

Harry was glad the weather had been pleasant of late. Oxfords were not his usual worksite wear but he always insisted on a suit upon first introductions. As he had told Eggsy on many occasions, “a gentleman must not miss an opportunity to make a good first impression,”

He had been surprised by the email. James had talked of the Campbell Group often but thought them too large a firm to reach out to Hart & Son. It was Percival’s assurance of a personal project for their lead architect that changed Harry’s mind. That and Eggsy insisting having the Campbell Group listed as a client on their website was nearly as good as the Royal Seal.

Making his way down the winding lane, Harry was brimming with ideas before he even set foot on the property. Arriving at the work site, he was struck by the tall, handsome figure standing at the end of the drive. He cursed when he saw the man checking his watch, fixing his most charming smile as he stepped from the van and made his introductions.

Harry found himself drawn to Merlin’s passion as they toured the site. The architect had a grand plan for his future home, showing off design specs on his tablet as he talked. Harry followed eagerly, taking photos of the land as they made their way to the conservatory.

“James was right,” Harry said, pocketing his phone, “it’s nearly as big as Kew Gardens.”

Merlin groaned, rolling his eyes. “It’s _not_ that big,” he insisted.

Harry chuckled. “Alright,” he allowed, following Merlin through the main doors, “not as big as Kew.” He turned in a slow circle as he took in the iron work, stone floors, and broken glass panels. “She does have promise, though, doesn’t she?” He frowned a little when he looked to Merlin again, stopped in the doorway with an odd look on his face. “What’s wrong?”

 _Finally_ , Merlin thought, _someone who gets it_.

“Nothing,” he said aloud, shaking his head and joining Harry at the overgrown fountain at the centre of the greenhouse. “Tell me then Harry, what have you got in mind?”

-

It didn’t take long for Merlin to decide Hart & Son was the right choice. He was swept up in Harry’s enthusiasm for the project, delighted by how easily they worked together. The next hour flew by, swapping ideas and sketches for the grounds and conservatory restoration.

“That’s a plan then,” Merlin said with a smile, “I look forward to working with you. I'll make sure Roxy gets the paperwork to you by the end of the week.”

“Nonsense,” Harry protested, thrusting out his hand. “A gentleman seals a deal with a handshake.”

Merlin’s smile widened, shaking with Harry once again. If they both lingered before releasing the other’s hand, neither said anything about it.

* * *

Harry spent nearly as much time on site over the next few weeks as Merlin. There was a lot of work to be done, and he was never more glad to have Eggsy with him. He knew acting as one’s own general contractor was an exhausting job, so he was surprised with how often Merlin made time for them. The site buzzed with action, various trades coming and going all day and yet Merlin was never far from the conservatory. Eggsy grumbled about “micromanaging”, but Harry understood, knew how exacting Merlin was about this project.

And honestly, if it meant he got to spend a little more time getting to know the man, Harry wasn’t complaining.

-

“Great progress on the steel today,” Harry offered in greeting, dropping his tool bag in the van.

Merlin joined him at the side of the vehicle, leaning back to take in the day’s work. “German team,” he agreed. “They had me here before dawn, but with progress like that it was worth it.”

Merlin grudgingly admitted to himself he had been spending far too much time at the conservatory lately, but he couldn’t deny how much he enjoyed Harry and Eggsy’s company—and alright, if he was admitting things to himself, he was enjoying getting to know Harry a little better. Even now, standing in silence watching the Germans pack up for the night, Merlin felt the tension from the long, stressful day ease from his body.

He grimaced when he heard his stomach growl.

Harry turned his head slowly at the noise, eyebrows raised. “Have you had anything today but coffee?”

Merlin felt his cheeks pink, shaking his head. “The Germans–”

“Hang the Germans,” Harry interrupted, waving a hand in their general direction. “You need what, an hour to finish up here?"

Merlin nodded.

“Good, that should provide me ample time to deliver Eggsy home.” He paused, looking down at this coveralls. “Maybe a time for a quick shower,” he muttered. 

Harry looked up, catching Merlin’s confused expression. “I’m taking you to dinner,” he stated with a nod. “Finally get some food in you.”

Merlin grinned, his hand sneaking up to squeeze the other man’s shoulder. “Dinner sounds great, Harry.”

* * *

Merlin lay at Harry's side, forehead pressed against his shoulder, the sound of their breathing the loudest noise in the darkened room.

"We're well past the point where this may change your mind," Harry started hesitantly, "but I feel I should tell you this isn't a regular occurrence for me."

Merlin chuckled, breath raising fresh goosebumps along Harry's arm. "Is there some rule about a gentleman not shagging on the first date?"

Harry hummed, turning to face Merlin, "something like that." He reached to cup Merlin's jaw, thumb running lightly over his cheekbone. "It’s more like there was hardly anyone worth the trouble."

Merlin brushed an errant curl from his forehead. "Glad you decided I was worth the trouble," he whispered, running fingers back through his damp, untamed hair.

"Oh, make no mistake," Harry replied, closing the distance between them, pressing his weight down over Merlin's chest, kissing him softly. "You were definitely worth the trouble."

* * *

Sheltered from the sun, Harry and Merlin sat in the open doors of Harry’s van, watching Eggsy haul bags of fertilizer from the truck.

Merlin rolled his eyes, unpacking their lunch—which became a regular affair after their first dinner, one or the other bringing enough to feed the three of them. “I can’t believe you let that dog follow him everywhere.”

Harry smiled, accepting the offered sandwich. “JB is a good little dog. Not very smart,” he said, bumping shoulders with Merlin, “but clever enough to stay out from underfoot.”

They ate in companionable silence, watching Eggsy work, chattering occasionally to the pug at his heels.

“You’re very fond of him,” Merlin said quietly, looking at Harry from the corner of his eye.

Harry huffed a laugh, his smile growing larger. “Fond is a mild way of putting it. You know, he fought me for months over the name ‘Hart & Son’. It was Eggsy’s idea, legitimize the business a bit, with a proper name. Kept insisting ‘Hart & Co’ was fine.” 

Harry’s smile faltered, a hint of a frown wrinkling his brow. “I couldn’t understand why he kept pushing so hard for ‘and Co’. We argued and argued.” His head dropped, eyes focused on his hands. “We both said things we didn’t really mean. Things got a little heated and he shouts at me, said ‘and Son’ was for _proper_ family.”

Harry sighed, looking up at Eggsy, now crouched down with the dog. “All that time, Merlin, I thought he knew. That he _is_ my proper family.” 

He turned to look at Merlin, a flush rising at the fondness he saw in his eyes. Merlin took his hand, giving it a squeeze before entwining their fingers.

“The boy wears his heart on his sleeve, I’m not as free as he is, but I’m learning.” Harry leaned into Merlin, running a thumb along their fingers. “A few weeks later we celebrated Hart & Son’s first official day of business with a martini.”

“He’s lucky to have you,” Merlin said, looking up at the sound of JB’s barking.

“I would say it was entirely the reverse.”

“Hey, you lot,” Eggsy shouted, chasing after the pug. “Did you save any of those sandwiches for me?”

Harry gave Merlin’s hand one more squeeze before reaching behind them. “Of course, lad.”

Merlin grinned as Eggsy made it to the van doors, bending to scoop JB in his arms. “I might be persuaded,” Merlin said, scratching behind the dog’s ear, “to give this one the last bite of mine.”

Eggsy sniffed the sandwich Harry handed over. “You had the same, ham and cheese?”

Merlin and Harry looked at each other, nodded.

“No _way_ , guv.” Eggsy nearly dropped the dog with how hard he shook his head. “ _You’re_ not the one trapped with this farty bastard the whole way home.”

* * *

Merlin gazed out the window, watching as ocean quickly gave way to land. He started packing up his things, suddenly eager to be off the plane.

He managed to push Valentine back as far as he could, not wanting to leave the site before the glass was installed, both for the house and the conservatory. The three weeks he spent in and around Los Angeles were a blur; Gazelle had them visiting the site of their new headquarters, with many stops to indulge Valentine's design whims along the way. But the plans were underway, with the agreement Valentine make the trip to London to finalize the details.

Merlin was also eager to see Harry. Eggsy had been prompt with his daily updates on their progress, as had the other trades. He was a little surprised with how ... _not_ frazzled he was about being away for more than a day. It was Harry who helped him understand, on one of their near-daily skype calls.

"A gentleman doesn't boast," he said with a smirk, "but you _did_ choose the best people to work on your project, Merlin."

Merlin smiled, nodding in agreement. "But it's not boasting if it's true, pet."

Stepping off to the side after exiting the plane, Merlin pulled out his phone to confirm the local time. Logically he understood the ten hour flight and the time zones involved, but he still had trouble doing the math in his head. He grinned when he heard Harry's familiar chime, smile widening after reading the message— _see you soon xx_.

Fumbling with his phone and carry-on Merlin _just_ avoided bumping into a gaggle of students as he made his way to baggage claim. He actually did bump into someone as he tucked his phone away. “So sorry,” he muttered, making sure his phone made it into his pocket.

“Come now,” he heard a familiar voice say, “surely I’ve managed to instill better manners than that.”

Jerking his head up, Merlin’s smile soon matched Harry’s, wide and bright. Dropping his bag, Merlin strode forward, nearly knocking Harry off his feet as he hugged him fiercely. “Oh, I _missed_ you,” he whispered in Harry’s ear, closing his eyes as he felt Harry’s hand press against his neck.

-

“I missed you too,” Harry said before pressing a quick kiss to Merlin’s temple. The three weeks had dragged, but finally he had Merlin in his arms. He held Merlin out at arm’s length, taking in his tanned skin, a little overwhelmed with the relief flooding his system. “Skype is a wonderful invention, but it pales in comparison to the real thing.”

They stood there for a few moments, happy to be in each other’s space again, the other passengers streaming around them. 

Harry gave Merlin a quick peck on the cheek before bending to pick up his carry on. “Come on, let’s get your bags. If you’re not too knackered I thought we could take a quick stop at the site before getting something to eat.”

“I am knackered,” Merlin said, taking the carry-on from him as he turned towards the conveyor belt, “but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to see the progress first.”

Harry smiled, standing close and taking Merlin’s free hand in is own. Watching for Merlin’s bag, Harry thought how long three weeks really was. Over a lifetime, it was gone in a blink, but a lot could be crammed into twenty-one days.

They were quiet on the drive, both content to simply be close again. Harry frowned, hearing Merlin yawn loudly beside him. “This can wait until the morning, you know. We don’t _have_ to head over tonight.”

Merlin rolled his neck, stretching out and reaching a hand back to grasp along Harry’s neck. “I know,” he said, tugging at the short hairs above his collar, “but we both know I won’t sleep until we do.”

The lapsed back into a companionable silence, Merlin stroking idly at Harry’s neck, Harry’s hand on Merlin’s knee. 

The sun was setting when they reached the site, warm light filtering through the trees as they made their way down the drive. Harry stood back a bit, sending a quick text and signalling to Merlin he would meet him out back when he was ready. He watched for a while, fond smile on his face, as Merlin greeted the few remaining people onsite. Harry shook his head, gathering his thoughts. He still had a few things to do before he was ready for Merlin to see the conservatory.

-

Merlin was _very_ pleased with the progress as he toured the house. He didn’t doubt the updates he received, but it was good to track the changes with his own eyes. He updated his to-do list, making note of items that were behind, others that were ahead of schedule. He smiled when he reached the main floor again, looking forward to seeing what Harry and Eggsy got done with the conservatory.

“Merlin, you lost?”

He laughed when he heard Eggsy, shouting back as he locked the front door. “The house is _not_ that big!”

“Alright, not Buckingham Palace,“ Eggsy said with a laugh, grabbing Merlin in a tight hug, “but maybe one of the minor ones.”

“Balmormal then,” Merlin allowed, returning the hug. They let go when JB sneezed at their feet. Merlin crouched, giving the pug a scratch. “Missed you too, farty bastard.” 

“Come on, enough with the inside,” Eggsy said, stepping towards the french doors at the back of the house, “time to see great outdoors.”

Merlin raised an eyebrow at the devious look on Eggsy’s face as he reached to open the door. “What have you done, lad?”

Eggsy stepped out onto the flagstone patio, bouncing on his toes. “This was all Harry. Go on,” he said with a grin, nodding towards the conservatory, "he’s waiting.”

Merlin followed Eggsy’s gaze, in the growing dark he could make out a few lamps glowing behind the glass, and Harry standing midway down the path. He smiled, stepping down to meet Harry’s outstretched hand. Harry noted the few updates to the back garden, pointing out the new flower beds and a handful of new shrubs, but Merlin’s attention was solely on the conservatory.

As they approached, Merlin could make out the pattern of leaves through the soft light, what looked like ivy snaking up the iron work to the roof. But that couldn’t be, they were weeks away from getting the plants in.

He stopped when he realized Harry was quiet. “How–”

Harry grinned, tugging Merlin close. “Three weeks is a long time,” he offered with a shrug, “a lot can be done in twenty-one days.” He met Merlin’s eyes, quiet for a moment. “Do you trust me?”

“Yes,” Merlin answered, nodding solemnly. 

“Take my hand, close your eyes, and watch the first couple steps.” Harry shrugged again, “we’re still getting the stone fit right, could have used another day.”

Merlin laughed, kissing Harry before taking his hand and closing his eyes. He heard the doors of the conservatory opening, following close behind Harry as they stepped inside. He could hear the soft trickle of water, picking out the scent of nearly a dozen different flowers, along with cedar and pine.

“Okay,” Harry whispered, letting go of his hand, “open your eyes.”

It was perfect.

Merlin turned in a slow circle, taking in Harry and Eggsy’s hard work. Ivy stretched along every rafter, reaching up from pots set along the low stone wall. Planters filled with ferns and a dozen variety of flowers sat atop the walls, leaves spilling out onto the stone floor. He spotted large urns, palms and other trees glowing with bright fairy lights. The fountain was working once again, water trickling from the broken form into a pool lit with floating candles. The space was lit by colourful tin lanterns, hanging from the rafters, and tucked into the far end was a sitting area with–was that his sofa from his office?

“Harry,” Merlin started, breathlessly. Turning to find the man who had rendered him speechless, he noticed movement near a small pot of cosmos. “Are those butterflies?”

-

Stepping back, Harry watched with a combination of anxiety and pride as Merlin took in the work they crammed into three weeks. 

“I didn’t think you’d see them until tomorrow,” he said with a smile, moving to wrap an arm around Merlin’s waist. “A few to start I think, local varieties, they should be happy here.”

He nodded at the cosmos, and the pot of ivy behind it. “The ivy there,” he said, “well, all the ivy, has been growing here for who knows how long. We saved those before the restoration got started. The plumber helped get the fountain to rights, and Eggsy convinced Roxy that the sofa from your office would be put to better use out here.

“It’s not done yet, obviously, and it will take some time for everything to fill in sufficiently–”

Harry was stopped short by Merlin, pulling him in for a searing kiss. He was a little lightheaded when they broke apart, sighing happily at the feeling of Merlin’s arms around his shoulders.

“Shut up, Harry,” Merlin whispered, tracing a line of kisses along his jaw. “It’s perfect. Absolutely _perfect_.”

* * *

Peering through the doors, Eggsy rolled his eyes. “Those two,” he said to JB with a groan, “are so in love, it’s ridiculous. Come on JB my love, finally got the day off tomorrow and we are totally sleeping until noon.”

JB barked, pawing at the door.

“Yes, it is funny,” he said, adjusting the sign hanging from the handle. “ _Love Shack_ is a perfectly acceptable name for a conservatory.”

**Author's Note:**

> Played around with POV in this, something I haven't really done before. I think it worked out ok, that it wasn't too confusing.
> 
> Did I spend way too much time deciding what the conservatory looked like? You bet your butt I did! There's [this one](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/72/dd/11/72dd11d6b506b80f7d7090249b5c068f.jpg), [this one (which is too grand)](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/7a/ff/9d/7aff9d4123d7ff5de8ab597b4b38e168.jpg), [this one (which is closer)](https://i.pinimg.com/564x/df/20/db/df20dbd44322e23780989be970b74f25.jpg), [this one (which is a bit too British?)](https://avatars.mds.yandex.net/get-pdb/49816/0ffaeecb-5eb0-4d37-87e7-df0b5accfdb3/s800), [and this one (that I want to live in right now)](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/8d/2e/fc/8d2efc7c6cf69b89429cd030a37ef0dd--tiled-floors-tile-flooring.jpg).
> 
> Also, please to be seeing the photo from the About Us page at the (fictional) [HartandSon.co.uk](http://www.shaylorphoto.com/albums/portraits/content/colin-firth-taron/) and the photo from the Lead Architect profile from the (fictional) [Campbell Group](http://static.playbill.com/dims4/default/341ae50/2147483647/resize/800x450/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fstatic.playbill.com%2F83%2F92%2Fd71eb7924ae09110c8e67b6ab046%2Fnllknlnl.jpg) (which Merlin thinks is ridiculous, but Roxy swears is perfect).
> 
> I also think someone should take away my emdashes, I used them SO MUCH IN THIS but whatever, every time I added one I grinned so :P


End file.
